This invention relates to a holder for golf balls and the like and more particularly to a holder which uses frictional contact between a ball and the resilient walls of an aperture to secure the ball within the aperture.
Golfers often use more then a single ball in playing a round of golf. Besides replacing lost or cut balls, golfers often use a different ball for driving and fairway play than they use for putting. Additionally, golfers will occasionally use a floating ball or a shag ball for water shots, and then replace that ball with a different ball after the water hazard has been avoided. Most golf bags have an exterior zippered pocket within which golf balls may be stored. One problem with the zippered pockets is that if a particular ball is desired to be used for a particular shot, it is difficult to see within the pocket so that the specific ball may be selected. Thus, a golfer typically must remove several different balls from the zippered pocket before the desired ball is found. This invention addresses and solves the problems inherent with the lottery method of golf ball selection.
There are several types of golf ball holders available to golfers. These golf ball holders typically embody a channel that is sized to receive the golf ball. The channel has flexible jaws that expand upon insertion of the golf ball and contract to secure the ball within the channel. These holders are typically designed to be either secured to the golf bag by a chain or other strap or secured by rivets or magnets to a golf cart. One problem with these devices is that the plastic or spring metal used to make the jaws and channel can be easily broken. Additionally the plastic or spring metal can damage the leather or plastic from which the golf bag is constructed if the golf ball holder is placed within the zippered pocket of the golf bag between rounds.
Another type of golf ball holder is disclosed in a patent to Bennys (U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,383). This patent discloses a plate with aperture sized to receive a golf ball surrounded by an elastic band to hold the ball within the aperture. One problem with this device is that the plate must be made of a rigid material and therefore can easily be broken or may damage the golf bag if the golf ball holder is stored in the zippered pocket between rounds. An additional problem with the Bennys device is that, unless the elastic band is transparent, the band must be moved aside from the apertures to ensure that a specific desired ball may be selected.
The disclosed invention permits all the golf balls within the holder to be visually inspected at a glance, and is also designed to be virtually unbreakable and not cause damage to the interior of a golf bag if the holder is stored within a zippered pocket in the bag between rounds. None of the disclosed golf ball holders solve all of the problems solved by the present invention.